THE BIRDS OF AUSTRALIA. 
My conclusions may be summarised thus : 
Fbegata aquila (Linne). 
Pelecanus aquilus Linn^, 8i/st. Nat, 10th ed., p. 133, 1758. 
Type locality : Ascension Island, Atlantic Ocean. 
The description given by Linne is based only upon Osbeck, whose 
description is that of an immature bird. A series in the British Museum 
shows that the males and females from Ascension Island are both black, and 
the immature has a white head and neck all round. 
The measurements of the birds in the British Museum are: 
d ad. Culmen 94 wing 582 tail 396 middle toe 46 mm. 
d ad. „ 92.5 „ 566 „ + „ 48 
d ad. „ 92 „ 576 „ 384 „ 46 
These have prominent red gular pouches. 
The bird sexed female in the British Museum measures : 
$ ad. Culmen 105, wing 603, tail 390, middle toe 49 mm. 
It has no pouch, and the sexing is confirmed by another bird in the Rothschild 
Museum which is sexed female and measures : 
$ ad. Culmen 103, wing 584, tail 390, middle toe 47 mm. 
These birds have a brownish upper-breast and no prominent metallic 
gloss on the head ; the lack of pouches and the large size make it certain that 
the sex has been correctly determined. In this connection it is important 
to observe that Latham recorded a wholly black male and female, as already 
quoted, and it is very probable these came from Ascension Island. The 
white-headed young indicate that this breeding locality harbours quite an 
aberrant Fregata, and so far I have noted no locality whence any similar 
birds occur. 
This necessitates the restriction of Fregata aquila to this form with no 
subspecies. 
Pelecanus leucocephahs Gmelin, is an absolute synonjon of this name. 
Fregata minor (Gmelin). 
This is the name to be used for the world-wide bird commonly known 
as Fregata aquila (Linne). Pelecanus minor Gmelin was given to Brisson’s 
description, which is based upon Edwards. The last named described an adult 
female and he gave full measurements ; its total length was three feet, the 
same as that of Linne’ s species, but the wing and tail were shorter as the bird 
was obviously in moult. Many authors have used this name {minor) for the 
small bird named F. arid by Gray, but every measurement disagrees. There 
can be no rejection of the name, and unfortunately it has to come into use 
for the biggest bird. 
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